MCOE Education Spotlight: Merced County Office of Education's annual report published

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- In ABC30's segment, Education Spotlight, Action News Anchor Landon Burke will talk with Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) officials about some of the biggest topics in education.

The Merced County Office of Education has published its annual report. Landon Burke got a chance to hear about some of the opportunities available in it.

Landon: So, Dr. Tietjen, tell me a little bit about this report that's out.

Dr. Steve Tietjen: The report is our annual report in education here in Merced County that we've been doing for about ten years. It really has a focus on Merced County, what's happening in our county this year. Our focus really is the collaboration across the county across multiple agencies and the role the county office plays in that collaboration. The county office is not well understood by a lot of people. Our educational system is made up of three major parts the federal government has an interest in education. They started that back in 1789, with Northwest Ordinance and giving land to communities for public schools. The state in its constitution identifies its responsibility to provide a free public education. Of course, it's a local district function to actually provide that education. The county office of education is a partner across those agencies to help support the professional staff of local districts as well as the laypeople that run those districts and so on the board, so our report this year focuses on how we do that as a county office, and of course, it's been highlighted across the last two years because of COVID and the requirements and needs for the county office to coordinate that work. So we're excited to share that our North note noteworthy partnerships this year, are connected to our workforce investment board, received county probation and other kinds of agencies that really support our local population, get back into the workforce, so that's our focus and we hope people tune in this year.

Landon: So how will tuning in help parents get the most out of the education available for their kids?

Dr. Steve Tietjen: It will help them understand exactly what opportunities are available for kids. We have had kids and young adults, quite frankly, because of our relationships, reach out and grab kids that perhaps didn't finish high school, get them a high school diploma. Then they get involved in a workforce training program to go out and get a job, be fully employed, and be able to put that roof over their head and pay taxes like everybody wants our citizenry to do. So we're all supporting each other. So the county office does a really great job creating opportunities for folks that are out of school didn't maybe finish successfully.

Landon: Where can people find this report?

Dr. Steve Tietjen: So the report is right on our website, MCOE.org. There'll be a QR code. You can hit it with your phone and pick it up that way. That's the easiest way to get it or actually go through the links on our website to see it there.